Motivation is the reason or reasons behind why you act and behave the way that you do. It is why you started your business in the first place and why you persevere. There are times when motivation is lacking. And there are many reasons why this can be. For you, as a business leader, you are expected to constantly innovate and drive, providing the stimulus your staff need to continue growing and evolving a business.

But what do other successful leaders and people say about motivation?

When the Going gets Tough…

Winston Churchill said “If you are going through hell, keep going”.

Prime Minister of Britain during the World War II, Churchill was known to be a dogged, determined character.

There are times in business when things feel like an uphill struggle. The market in which you dominate may be stagnant and flat, or it may be so competitive and swollen with rivals that making any kind of headway seem too hard.

Churchill suggests sticking with it because if you believe in yourself, your business and your brand, there will be rewards eventually.

Motivation AND Enthusiasm

Being motivated brings with it is near cousin: enthusiasm. To stay motivated, you need to be enthusiastic about your business, and to be enthusiastic, you need to remain motivated.

One can kick-start the other. When motivation is lacking, maybe it is a new direction you need. Change is, as they say, as good as a rest and thus re-invigorating your enthusiasm is a great way to re-discover motivation.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm”.

Relying on Yourself

As an entrepreneur, you will be expected to be a self-starter. Self-starters are the people who have a capacity to identify change, exploit and, if necessary, engineer it.

Entrepreneurs are all kinds of characters. Some are gregarious, such as Oprah Winfrey and Richard Branson, who are unafraid to enjoy the limelight.

Entrepreneurs are self-starters who realize that they can be the agents of change. And change is an important motivating in business (and beyond) as told by Barack Obama who stated that “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for”.

Opportunities are Everywhere

Actress, writer, comedian and producer Tina Fey is clear, “There are no mistakes, only opportunities”. Elon Musk, major investor in Tesla and serial entrepreneur also tells us that failing is an option.

So, what does this mean for you as a business leader and entrepreneur? It means that you see opportunities in everything, including those projects that fail or struggle. It means that you find motivation in all facets of your business, including when things don’t pan out as you thought they would.

Motivation is a key factor in your own personal success as well as that of your business. When you struggle, when it all seems to come crashing together, remember what other successful leaders have said.